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Donnelly Canyon

Utah > Southeast Utah > Indian Creek
Warning Access Issue: Limited Toilet Facilities! DetailsDrop down
Warning Access Issue: RAIN, WET ROCK and RAPTOR CLOSURES: The sandstone around Moab is fragile and is very easily damaged when it is wet. Also please ask and be aware of Raptor Closures in areas such as CAT WALL and RESERVOIR WALL in Indian Creek DetailsDrop down

Description

As you stand in the major parking area wondering if you'll be able to find a warm-up with no parties camped on it at the Super Crack, Donnelly, Battle of the Bulge cluster, look northwest. You can't miss seeing the well-traveled splitter Generic Crack. This is the most prominent feature on the Donnelly Canyon wall. Donnelly Canyon is home to several moderate climbs and consequently, hordes of gumbies. However, this is Indian Creek and there are several good lines on this wall.

Another lesser know attraction of Donnelly Canyon is its acoustics. After a day of posing at either Super Crack Buttress or DC, you may find yourself enjoying a beer in the parking lot while you spray. When you shut-up long enough to belch, be sure to aim in the direction of Generic Crack. If you have any talent at all, then your mating call will be well amplified as it echoes and resonates out of the canyon. To witness this awe-inspiring feat alone is worth the drive to the Creek.

Getting There

Look for the major parking lot on the right about 4 miles or so past Newspaper Rock. The wall for Donnelly is the one on the west that is more or less perpendicular to the road.

Routes from Left to Right

5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 1
Violently Happy
Trad 2 pitches
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 166
Owl Crack
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 86
Unknown 5.10+
Trad
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13
 64
Fuel Injected Hardbody
Trad
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a
 1
Dad Bod
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 255
The Naked and Dead
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 111
Naked and the Dead Variation
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 5
The Waiting Line
Trad
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 1,169
Generic Crack
Trad 2 pitches
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 5
Unknown AKA Reclamation
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13
 4
Sister Skywalker
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 2
Rainbow Sign
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 24
Jarni Zvrat-Ky (lower part of Du…
Trad
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c
 3
Dust to Dusk
Trad
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c
 17
Half Shark-Alligator, Half Man
Trad
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c
 834
Binou's Crack
Trad
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 44
Let 'er Buck
Sport
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 81
5.10 Corner
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 81
Unknown Pod Climb.
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 212
Mr. Peanut
Trad
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a
 1,002
Chocolate Corner
Trad
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b
 9
Ocean Negro
Trad 3 pitches
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 555
Elephant Man
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 7
Elephant Ear AKA Fish Taco
Trad
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a
 117
Unknown
Trad
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b
 11
Unknown (L of Dos Hermanos)
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a
 241
Dos Hermanos
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 62
The Crack Just to Left of Drainpipe
Trad
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b
 132
Drainpipe
Trad
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R
 2
Shank Face
Trad
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a
 92
The Thing
Trad
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a
 8
Twitterpated
Trad
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c
 7
Sleeve of Wizard
Trad
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b
 91
Ansaid Tower
Trad
Route Name Location Star Rating Difficulty Date
Violently Happy
 1
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad 2 pitches
Owl Crack
 166
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Unknown 5.10+
 86
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Fuel Injected Hardbody
 64
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a PG13 Trad
Dad Bod
 1
5.12- 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a Trad
The Naked and Dead
 255
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Naked and the Dead Variation
 111
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
The Waiting Line
 5
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Generic Crack
 1,169
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad 2 pitches
Unknown AKA Reclamation
 5
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Sister Skywalker
 4
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c PG13 Trad
Rainbow Sign
 2
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
Jarni Zvrat-Ky (lower part…
 24
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Dust to Dusk
 3
5.11 6c+ 23 VIII- 23 E4 5c Trad
Half Shark-Alligator, Half Man
 17
5.13- 7c+ 29 IX+ 29 E7 6c Trad
Binou's Crack
 834
5.8+ 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c Trad
Let 'er Buck
 44
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Sport
5.10 Corner
 81
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Unknown Pod Climb.
 81
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Mr. Peanut
 212
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Chocolate Corner
 1,002
5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a Trad
Ocean Negro
 9
5.12 7b+ 27 VIII+ 26 E6 6b Trad 3 pitches
Elephant Man
 555
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Elephant Ear AKA Fish Taco
 7
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Unknown
 117
5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a Trad
Unknown (L of Dos Hermanos)
 11
5.10 6b 20 VII- 19 E2 5b Trad
Dos Hermanos
 241
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a Trad
The Crack Just to Left of D…
 62
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Drainpipe
 132
5.10+ 6b+ 21 VII+ 20 E3 5b Trad
Shank Face
 2
5.11+ 7a 24 VIII 24 E4 6a R Trad
The Thing
 92
5.10- 6a 18 VI+ 18 E1 5a Trad
Twitterpated
 8
5.11b/c 6c+ 23 VIII- 24 E4 6a Trad
Sleeve of Wizard
 7
5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Trad
Ansaid Tower
 91
5.7 5a 15 V+ 13 MVS 4b Trad

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Mega classics @ DC!
[Hide Photo] Mega classics @ DC!
cold morning. not one person in the canyon...time to climb!!
[Hide Photo] cold morning. not one person in the canyon...time to climb!!
[Hide Photo] untitled
Donnelly Canyon, UT.
[Hide Photo] Donnelly Canyon, UT.
Donnelly Canyon from the parking lot on a chilly winter morning.
[Hide Photo] Donnelly Canyon from the parking lot on a chilly winter morning.
perfection
[Hide Photo] perfection
Another fine day at Donnelly Canyon offering a ton of fun.
[Hide Photo] Another fine day at Donnelly Canyon offering a ton of fun.

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Alexander Nees
Grand Junction, CO
[Hide Comment] Can anyone provide information about the good-looking tight-hands (?) crack that is a bit left of Binou's Crack? It's in the back of a tight flare and ends under a roof. Maybe 80', with a modern-looking chain anchor?

EDIT: thanks for the info Devin. Maybe I'll get a chance to do this one soon; I'll post it up here if I do. Feb 6, 2012
[Hide Comment] yeah, i seem to remember thinking 10c or so. Apr 2, 2012
Alex Haeger
Boulder, CO
[Hide Comment] I was in the creek for the first time last weekend and was unsure about where the Donnelly Canyon cliffs start based on descriptions here and in the guidebook. After running into a second group in the same predicament, I figured it would be good to post here some more info. The Donnelly Canyon cliff line can be seen from the parking lot it shares with supercrack. From the parking lot, take the trail on the left, opposite of the toilets, and work your way to the cliffs that start right away on the left. Generic Crack is the first giant semi-worn splitter you see. Don't hike way back into the canyon unless you're looking for some obscure lines! Nov 3, 2015
Russ Keane
Salt Lake
[Hide Comment] Best area description ever! Apr 23, 2021